Culture

The Hiding Place

Lisette Frevola
4 Nov 2011
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Can there be freedom when evil triumphs all around you, when all that you love is taken away, and when your days are surrounded by brutality, death and horror in a Nazi concentration camp? In this remarkable true story published 40 years ago, Cornelia Ten Boom shares her journey from spinster watchmaker in 1937 Holland to a heroine of the Dutch Resistance and how she risked her life helping hide God’s chosen people from the extermination of Hitler’s regime. In the preface of The Hiding Place, author Elizabeth Sherrill recalls the first time she heard Corrie Ten Boom speak at […]

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From the Runway to Your Closet

Amy Overgaard
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Fashion weeks have ended in cities around the globe and many are left wondering how to translate what was shown on the runways into everyday, wearable outfits. Runway shows display dramatic frills and fabrics, giving a preview of what is to hit stores in the upcoming seasons. Yet it is often difficult to pull understated outfits from runway presentations. Outfits shown on the runway are often exaggerated versions of the style they are portraying. When taking a cue from these fashions, choose only one piece to portray at a time, so as not to overwhelm the outfit. Instead of wearing […]

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Thanksgiving and Our Freedom

Keri Williams
3 Nov 2011
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On the fourth Thursday of November, with forks piled high, children will ask, “What’s Thanksgiving all about anyway?” The answer is almost always the same. As the story goes, after surviving a hard winter, the Pilgrims shared a feast with their new-found Native American friends to thank God for the bountiful harvest. Like a jagged rock smoothed by the waves of time, the story has come to have an almost fairy tale-like quality of bliss and fortune. But, it was no fairy tale. The Pilgrims made the choice to be thankful in an untamed wilderness, filled with adversity and already […]

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Honoring a Father’s Dream: Sons of Lwala

Lisette Frevola
30 Sep 2011
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It is late at night and cries of distress are heard from a woman giving birth in a remote village in Kenya. Although her baby is safely delivered, she is bleeding to death and in need of critical medical care. Although the hospital is very far way, villagers make an attempt to take her. Before she even reaches the road, however, the woman dies. In a community where everyone is seen as part of a large family, the loss is profound. The tragedy deeply impacts a young boy in the village and he resolves right then and there to become […]

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Modest is Hottest

Amy Overgaard
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In this “anything goes” culture, where tunic tops are now accepted as dresses and leggings as pants, it can be difficult to discern what is appropriate for a Christian woman to wear. Biblically based values stand in stark contrast against a lot of what is sold in stores today. Yet it is not necessary to forego fashion in the pursuit of being modest, pairing the most basic and boring outfits to cover up. Modesty and style do not have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, in many cases combining the two create a classy, attention-grabbing outfit. And with this kind […]

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Rock and Redemption

Lisette Frevola
2 Aug 2011
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As I waited for the bookstore clerk to hand me a copy of the latest autobiography I was assigned to read, I was filled with trepidation and albeit a little fear. As I glanced at the cover, I couldn’t help but be a bit offended. Hanging on a cross of guitars, bare chested and enshrouded with tattoos was a depiction of Reggie “Fieldy” Arvizu, the acclaimed bassist for the mega popular and successful nu metal band Korn. Flipping through Fieldy’s book, Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery and Korn, I readied myself for the rollercoaster ride of […]

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Hospital Healings and the Role of Faith

Marisa Zeppieri Caruana
5 Jul 2011
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After being miraculously healed from endometrial cancer 32 years ago, Abby Abildness, author of the new book Healing Prayer and Medical Care: God’s Healthcare Plan, has been spreading a message of healing and fusing God’s healing power with patients and healthcare workers in hospital settings. Abildness, who is the Founder of Healing Tree International and President of Hershey Aglow Lighthouse, has been leading the Penn State Hershey Medical Center’s chapel healing prayer service since its inception six years ago. Patients, families and medical staff are invited to attend the healing prayer service every Friday at 11:45 a.m., when it is […]

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2011 Summer Reading List

Dabney Hedegard
1 Jul 2011
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A bad book is a time thief, and with four kids to chase (a form of exercise, I assure you) choosing material wisely is a must. Sifting through book reviews and excerpts allows me to locate my preferred writing style – one I know will hold my attention until the last page. A good find is much like a beloved friend; you laugh, cry and struggle at times, but in the end, you’re better off knowing each other. Here is a list of personal favorites for your summer beach – reading excursions. Enjoy! Redeeming Love By Francine Rivers I’m not […]

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2011 Summer Movie Guide

Lisette Frevola
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In the sweltering heat of a typical summer day in South Florida, nothing quite beckons like the cool comfort of the local movie theatre. Ice cold mega-sized soda in hand and vat of buttered popcorn at the ready; we wait in the darkness with eager anticipation to be swept away into an engaging escape. Whether the genre is action, adventure or a quirky romantic comedy, movies enlighten, entertain and give temporary respite from the troubles of the day. As Christians, it is important to be discerning about what we put before our eyes. Hollywood rarely releases a movie that doesn’t […]

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The Wayward Child

Marisa Zeppieri Caruana
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How familiar is the name Katy Perry to you? To the world, she is a bona-fide celebrity. At the age of 27, the pop star is known for being a busty sex symbol in addition to being a popular singer and actress. Her revealing outfits and edgy songs like I Kissed a Girl and E.T. have launched the singer into superstardom over the past few years. Recently, she married British comedian Russell Brand, who is known for his crass approach to comedy. The couple married in a traditional Hindu ceremony in India on October 23, 2010. What you may not […]

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